TO MILLIONS around the world, John Lennon was a legend who could do no wrong.

But to his first wife he was the man who once savagely attacked her and scarred his first-born child by abandoning him for years at a time.

Now Cynthia Lennon has decided to reveal what marriage to the musical genius was really like in a new warts-and-all book.

"John", released yesterday, tells of the Beatles star's cruel streak, including how he sent a messenger to tell her their marriage was over, as well as their happier times.

Cynthia, who was brought up in Hoylake, told the Daily Post: "I feel Julian is still very scarred by it all. It's not always easy for a mother to talk to her son, which is why I wanted to write it all down.

"It is much easier to put it on paper. I hope it helps him understand. I wanted him to know everything, the good things and the bad about his father.

"I felt very angry at the way he was treated in retrospect but time heals all wounds.

"John could be a verbal bully, although it would be tinged with humour.

"He hit me once but it was the first and last time.

"If you think about great artists, the majority have had amazing but tragic lives.

"He was a legend to so many people but to me he was the man whose socks I washed, and by hand at that - we didn't have a washing machine.

"I didn't want the marriage to be over, but it was taken out of my hands.

"It was a cowardly end, it should never have happened that way, but I think he did regret that later on."
The couple, who met at art school, were together for 10 years, right through the peak of The Beatles' global stardom.

Although Cynthia did write a book about their marriage in the 1970s, she claimed she was too afraid of John's power to delve too deeply into their time together.

In John, she has told of everything from Lennon's confession that he slept with other women throughout their marriage, to how his family struggled to fight for their share of his estate when he died.

She also reveals the day she walked in to find her husband sat with Yoko Ono, and realised they were having an affair and how the two women have battled ever since.

Cynthia, who went on to marry three more times, now lives in Spain with her husband Noel where she writes and paints.

She added: "Writing the book was quite heavy duty. But I had to write, I felt I had to get it all out and it was my time to tell my story.

"There have been so many books and films and I don't recognise myself at all. I wanted to put the record straight.

"I feel I was entitled to write it. It has come from my heart and I stand by every word I have said.

"I still have great admiration for his talent and great sadness over what happened to him and that he can't be part of Julian's life.

"There have been a few occasions when I have tried to repair a few bridges with Yoko but we are too opposite.

"I feel sad that Julian and Sean are half brothers and should be enjoying time together.

"There is no escape from the Lennon legend for me or Julian. People are always curious but I don't mind that. I can live a fairly normal life now."

Cynthia Lennon will be signing copies of her book at Waterstone's on Thursday, at 1pm.

We can only think: John was JUST a human being, full of mistakes, fears, obsessions, complexes, like many people but he was, or we may say, IS a LEGEND as Cynthia herself said and his songs and his image spreading PEACE AND LOVE messages firmed on an entire generation's mind...so those people just do not or don't want to observe his faults but only to his art and his messages. I ever see John just as a human being but I still admire him, despite of any revelation of his private life.

Life Is Very Short And There's No Time For Fussing And Fighting, My Friend...
Peace.